Football
Features
Der Klassiker provides springboard for Bundesliga’s global marketing efforts
The Bundesliga is locked in a battle with other major European leagues for the hearts, minds, and eyeballs of fans around the world. Kevin Roberts examines some of the league's marketing efforts alongside the Der Klassiker match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
Murray Barnett | Five reasons why the future’s bright for women’s football
Murray Barnett, former chief commercial officer for World Rugby and head of partnerships for Formula 1, explains why women’s football is sure to recover the commercial momentum lost as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Stevenage FC tries to build on the success of innovative Burger King gaming partnership
Stevenage FC were pleasantly surprised when news arrived of Burger King's interest in becoming its main sponsor. SportBusiness speaks to Stevenage chief executive officer Alex Tunbridge to hear about the journey the club has been on since the association with Burger King began in July 2019.
Ben Cronin | Masters needs to come up with football reforms before they are forced upon him
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters is being assailed on multiple fronts as the UK government threatens a systematic review of football governance and clubs plot European competition reform.
Lockdown dampens Brentford FC’s new stadium celebrations
Brentford FC’s plans to open a brand new 17,250-capacity stadium this autumn have been thwarted by the Covid pandemic. Chief executive Jon Varney describes how the club is coping with the lockdown and its plans to compete on a more even commercial footing in the English Championship.
Klein: Mondelēz International activation to be among largest in Bundesliga International era
The German Bundesliga’s newest sponsorship deal, with multinational confectioner Mondelēz International, will help “promote the league to a broader audience” and the activation plans are significant, accord…
Serie B approves formation of new broadcast rights company
Lega Serie B, the organising body for the second tier of Italian club football, has unanimously approved the formation of a new media company that will manage the sale and marketing of television rights…
Valencia signs up Papa John’s with brand set to build in region
Spanish LaLiga's Valencia CF has signed up pizza chain Papa John's as a sponsor. The deal will begin immediately and run until the end of the 2020-21 season
Eleven keeps hold of Champions League rights in Portugal
Subscription broadcaster Eleven Sports has retained its prized property in Portugal in a new three-year deal to broadcast the Uefa Champions League from 2021-22 to 2023-24
Reimagining the financial future of lower-league football
Omar Chaudhuri and Ben Marlow from consultancy firm 21st Club examine the trends driving football’s underlying financial crisis and suggest a new approach and competition format designed to reduce costs and promote sustainability.
Football finance | How the EFL can build a bridge to post-Covid sustainability and profitability
Legal practice Charles Russell Speechlys has outlined a plan to help English Football League clubs survive, restructure and rebuild in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. Kevin Roberts reports.
Guy-Laurent Epstein | How technology is driving Uefa marketing
In the latest video interview from SportBusiness, Uefa marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein reflects on the ways in which the governing body has engaged with partners and fans during a year which has seen its major club competitions delayed and international competitions postponed.
Martyn Turze | Premier League PPV – the Publicis Sport & Entertainment ‘office’ debate
Martyn Turze, consumer research account director at Publicis Sport & Entertainment, highlights 11 key points from the agency's internal discussions on pay-per-view Premier League matches conducted via the team’s Whatsapp group.
Matchday revenue is just one small piece of the Premier League PPV puzzle
The £14.95 price point of pay-per-view Premier League matches led to dismay from fans and sports industry executives alike, as the Premier League, Sky and BT scrambled to protect the value of pay-television. Callum McCarthy reports.
Uefa sets new course in women’s football with media and sponsorship tenders
Media tender on for Uefa’s women’s club and national team competitions closes October 14
Uefa seeking broadcast partners which can take ‘edgy’ approach using different platforms
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St. Louis City appoints chief experience officer to differentiate itself in MLS
MLS expansion club hires league's first CXO to put a significant emphasis on the fan experience in the club's development and to differentiate itself in a competitive and expanding league. Bob Williams reports
Bayern’s ‘lighthouse’ Super Cup spectator study gives hope to Bundesliga
The company behind a pilot study that tested 315 Bayern Munich fans for Covid-19 ahead of last month's Uefa Super Cup match believes it is possible to create rapid and safe testing programmes that will allow more spectators to attend live sports events. Ben Cronin reports.
Montagliani: Gold Cup revamp to create excitement, unpredictability and a commercial lift
Concacaf president Victor Montagliani tells SportBusiness about the strategy behind the changes on and off the field for the region's flagship international competition, the Gold Cup.
‘It’s attracted partners and investors’ | Leeds United’s Amazon documentary
Take Us Home: Leeds United has spent two years documenting the club's attempts to return to the Premier League. Chief executive Angus Kinnear tells Adam Nelson how the series has helped to attract sponsors and investors as well as engage new fans.
Pandemic hits women’s sport, but revenue mix leaves it well placed to rebound
Adam Nelson talks to stakeholders from across women's sport about the impact of the pandemic and how the sector is well-placed to rebound thanks to a healthy revenue mix
Kevin Roberts | Football has to put its hand up/by its side/behind its back and sort out its rule change train wreck
When a veteran coach says a new rule is destroying his enjoyment of the game it’s a warning about damage to the product at a critical time for sport
Championship clubs devastated by UK government’s ‘broad-brush’ approach
Fears of overcrowding in pubs and on public transport has moved the UK government to postpone spectator trials after Covid-19 cases rose sharply in the country, but rights holders and clubs feel sport has been unfairly singled out. Callum McCarthy reports.
The business of Dutch football has fans to thank for its survival
Dutch clubs like SC Heerenveen have sold large numbers of season tickets prior to the 2020-21 Eredivisie season, despite there being no guarantees spectators will be allowed to attend matches. Callum McCarthy reports.
Norwich City’s financial model provides stability despite Premier League relegation
Ben Kensell, chief operating officer at Norwich City, tells Adam Nelson about how the commercial structure he has put in place offers the club a platform to bounce straight back after its relegation from the Premier League.
ESPN ready to hit ground running as Bundesliga partnership in US kicks off
ESPN is putting on major marketing effort to promote its new media-rights deal with German top flight league while also focusing on wider long-term content initiatives. Bob Williams reports
Premier League takes pride of place on Peacock as NBCU’s key weapon in streaming wars
NBCUniversal is actively looking to utilize NBC Sports' premium properties to attract subscribers to its new streaming service and help differentiate the platform from its rivals in the crowded and competitive direct-to-consumer marketplace.
MLS expansion to St. Louis pushes city’s USL Championship team to cease operations
Due to the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the absence of any buyers amid the pending arrival of another pro soccer team to the Midwest US market, executives for the USL's Saint Louis FC decided it did not make any sense for the team to continue beyond this campaign. Bob Williams reports
Pepsi sponsorship chief Warner says revamped Champions League delivered ‘comparable value’
PepsiCo’s senior director for global sports marketing, Adam Warner, commends Uefa for finding 'different sources of value' in this year reformatted Men's Champions League and explains why the brand has decided to expand its relationship with the governing body to include women's club and national competitions. Ben Cronin reports.